Parallel Bible results for "ecclesiastes 4"

Ecclesiastes 4

The Bible in Basic English BBE

1 And again I saw all the cruel things which are done under the sun; there was the weeping of those who have evil done to them, and they had no comforter: and from the hands of the evil-doers there went out power, but they had no comforter.

2 So my praise was for the dead who have gone to their death, more than for the living who still have life.

3 Yes, happier than the dead or the living seemed he who has not ever been, who has not seen the evil which is done under the sun.

4 And I saw that the cause of all the work and of everything which is done well was man's envy of his neighbour. This again is to no purpose and a desire for wind.

5 The foolish man, folding his hands, takes the flesh of his body for food.

6 One hand full of rest is better than two hands full of trouble and desire for wind.

7 Then I came back, and I saw an example of what is to no purpose under the sun.

8 It is one who is by himself, without a second, and without son or brother; but there is no end to all his work, and he has never enough of wealth. For whom, then, am I working and keeping myself from pleasure? This again is to no purpose, and a bitter work.

9 Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their work.

10 And if one has a fall, the other will give him a hand; but unhappy is the man who is by himself, because he has no helper.

11 So again, if two are sleeping together they are warm, but how may one be warm by himself?

12 And two attacked by one would be safe, and three cords twisted together are not quickly broken.

13 A young man who is poor and wise is better than a king who is old and foolish and will not be guided by the wisdom of others.

14 Because out of a prison the young man comes to be king, though by birth he was only a poor man in the kingdom.

15 I saw all the living under the sun round the young man who was to be ruler in place of the king.

16 There was no end of all the people, of all those whose head he was, but they who come later will have no delight in him. This again is to no purpose and desire for wind.

Good News Translation GNT

1 Then I looked again at all the injustice that goes on in this world. The oppressed were crying, and no one would help them. No one would help them, because their oppressors had power on their side.

2 I envy those who are dead and gone; they are better off than those who are still alive.

3 But better off than either are those who have never been born, who have never seen the injustice that goes on in this world.

4 I have also learned why people work so hard to succeed: it is because they envy the things their neighbors have. But it is useless. It is like chasing the wind.

5 They say that we would be fools to fold our hands and let ourselves starve to death.

6 Maybe so, but it is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.

7 I have noticed something else in life that is useless.

8 Here is someone who lives alone. He has no son, no brother, yet he is always working, never satisfied with the wealth he has. For whom is he working so hard and denying himself any pleasure? This is useless, too - and a miserable way to live.

9 Two are better off than one, because together they can work more effectively.

10 If one of them falls down, the other can help him up. But if someone is alone and falls, it's just too bad, because there is no one to help him.

11 If it is cold, two can sleep together and stay warm, but how can you keep warm by yourself?

12 Two people can resist an attack that would defeat one person alone. A rope made of three cords is hard to break.

13 Someone may rise from poverty to become king of his country, or go from prison to the throne, but if in his old age he is too foolish to take advice, he is not as well off as a young man who is poor but intelligent.

15 I thought about all the people who live in this world, and I realized that somewhere among them there is a young man who will take the king's place.

16 There may be no limit to the number of people a king rules; when he is gone, no one will be grateful for what he has done. It is useless. It is like chasing the wind.